Any advice for shipping a gun would be most appreciated. I am not an FFL or dealer, just a private party.

My first thoughts are to use Federal Express and insure the shipment. I feel I should declare the contents and ship it overnight, and I must ship it to an FFL,
any other insights would be most helpful.

I ship FED-X all the time . You can declare the contents if you like but they really don,t care and you may cause a problem . Overnight may not be the best . Go to there web site and check the rates . I have found second day alot cheaper and just as fast . Pack it well use lots of tape and a good box .

FedEx Express will transport and deliver firearms as defined by the United States Gun Control Act of 1968, between areas served in the U.S., but only between:

Licensed importers; licensed manufacturers; licensed dealers; licensed collectors; law enforcement agencies of the U.S. or any department or agency thereof; and law enforcement agencies of any state or any department, agency or political subdivisions thereof; or

Where not prohibited by local, state and federal law, from individuals to licensed importers, licensed manufacturers or licensed dealers (and return of same).

If your shipment contains firearms, select the Direct Signature Required or Adult Signature Required Delivery Signature Option, depending on the requirements of your shipment. See the Delivery Signature Options section for details. Firearms shipments are not eligible for signature release or indirect delivery.

Upon presenting the package for shipment, the person tendering the shipment to FedEx Express is required to notify FedEx Express that the package contains a firearm. The outside of the package must not be marked, labeled or otherwise identify that the package contains a firearm.

The shipper and recipient must be of legal age as identified by applicable law.

The shipper and recipient are required to comply with all applicable government regulations and laws, including those pertaining to labeling. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives can provide assistance.

G. FedEx Express will transport ammunition when packed and labeled in compliance with local, state and federal law, and the Dangerous Goods section of this Service Guide. Ammunition is an explosive and must be shipped separately as dangerous goods. You agree not to ship loaded firearms or firearms with ammunition in the same package.

Take to the Post Office and tell them it's a gun! Must be a long gun, not a pistol. You can ship it directly to yourself or a repair facility without the need for an FFL. Otherwise you'll have to go thru one. Only had problems once, and that was with the teller and his supervisor, neither who knew their own rules about shipping guns. I think I still have to 40 or so page document I sent to the city postmaster.

After shipping ALOT of guns in the last ten years I have NEVER been ask or Never told anyone it is a GUN . I always ship with insurance never next day and never had a problem . Some people go way out of there way to create a problem . If you use FED-X put the package on the scale tell the nice lady how much insurance you need then ask for second day please pay and have a nice day . I always have an FFL I have never been ask to see it . I never put anything on the package saying anything about GUNS-FIREARMS- SHOOTING- even in the address is not the thing to do and will invite a thief .

Someone implied that FedEx Ground had different requirements (lower standards) in regards to FIREARMS than FedEx Express, but it looks like they removed there posting.

I contacted FedEx last night and here is what they sent me in regard to FedEx Ground.

Firearms

FedEx Ground will transport and deliver firearms (excluding handguns) as defined by the United States Gun Control Act of 1968, between areas served in the U.S., but only between:

Licensed importers; licensed manufacturers; licensed dealers; licensed collectors; law enforcement agencies of the U.S. or any department or agency thereof; and law enforcement agencies of any state or any department, agency or political subdivisions thereof;

or

Where not prohibited by local, state and federal law, from individuals to licensed importers, licensed manufacturers or licensed dealers (and return of same).

Upon presenting the package for shipment, the person tendering the shipment to FedEx Ground is required to notify FedEx Ground that the package contains a firearm. The outside of the package must not be marked, labeled or otherwise identify that the package contains a firearm.

The shipper and recipient must be of legal age as identified by applicable law.

The shipper and recipient are required to comply with all applicable government regulations and laws, including those pertaining to labeling. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives can provide assistance.
FedEx Ground will transport small-arms ammunition when packed and labeled in compliance with local, state and federal law, and the Hazardous Materials section of this Service Guide.

Ammunition is an explosive and must be shipped separately as hazardous materials. You agree not to ship loaded firearms or firearms with ammunition in the same package.

FedEx Ground will not accept for transport handguns, assembled or disassembled.